The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus in lighter-transport ships and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for laterally supporting lighters having bottoms from which rails or the like project.
The desirability of providing lateral support for lighters on the decks of lighter-transport ships has been recognized. A conventional technique for providing such lateral support includes providing the bottom of the lighters with guide rails or keels which are supported against trestles fixed such as by welding to the deck of the lighter-transport ship and which project upwardly therefrom. The bottom keel of the lighter and the trestle thereby support the lighter in the lateral direction on the deck of the ship. Moreover, the sides of the lighter are fastened to the deck of the ship by means of diagonal rigging screws as is well known in the art.
However, since the trestles project upwardly from the deck of the lighter-transport ship, the use of wheeled loading vehicles on the deck constituting the load space of the ship is severely restricted. Furthermore, it is well known that lighter-transport ships are frequently used to carry containers and/or other loads on cargo platforms. Since the trestles would otherwise constitute an obstruction to the loading of the deck, special detachable adapters have been designed which are fitted on the trestles so that a plane base is provided for the containers or cargo platforms. It will be appreciated, however, that the use of such adapters is inconvenient and time-consuming. Moreover, such adapter structures are cumbersome so that their handling and storage create problems.